Archive for the ‘IT Asset Management’ Category

BYOD Predictions Assist CIOs in Mobile Asset Management Decisions

April 19th, 2013

Discussions around the bring your own device (BYOD) trend have displayed vastly differing opinions. Some advocates believe it is their right, not privilege, to use a personal device for work, while the naysayers are hesitant of data security and increased expenses on the company’s behalf.

Click here to learn more about BYOD concerns.

One thing is clear, though. Change is in the air!

A CIO news article outlines four predictions that will bring both relief and challenges for IT departments in the near future:

Prediction 1: Personal device will become the norm

Although it seems the path to personal devices in the workplace is primarily post-PC, Wang predicts as companies slowly accept and become more flexible to the BYOD craze, more personally owned laptops will enter the environment.

“Currently, 39 percent of laptops used for work are owned by an employee.”

CIO’s and IT departments have a few dilemmas ahead of them as employees demand more mobile access to company resources and data:

1. Investments will have to be made in IT to widen remote access to company data that would traditionally be hidden behind the firewall

2. Reevaluations of applications will be necessary as the days of on-premises servers fade and cloud hosting appears

3. More company funding will contribute to wireless hardware and services

Prediction 2: Seamless, on-demand mobile ‘virtualization’ will overtake MDM

BYOD advocates have turned to mobile device management (MDM) for data security and corporate application monitoring. Unfortunately MDM might not be enough.

Mobile virtualization is such a big hit for companies with a BYOD program because IT departments are able to run multiple operating systems on a single piece of hardware. The allure of virtualization is also being permitted to give an individual device two personas, one for work and one for personal.

Technology similar to mobile virtualization is in the early stages and will continue to deliver much-needed controls for data security and privacy on devices in 2013.

Prediction 3: HTML5 enterprise apps will proliferate

The next prediction is the incorporation of HTML5, which is cheap to develop and maintain as opposed to other apps.

“HTML 5 is a new technology that allows developers to build rich web-based apps that run on any device via a standard web browser,” as described in an article comparing HTML5 to other apps.

This is especially important for an IT department with a BYOD program in place where employees are bringing in all different types of devices from iPhones to Androids. HTML5 allows for a simple way to deliver and control corporate apps through online communications models.

Future results from HTML5 and online communications models will show movement of corporate apps from a physical device to the cloud.

Prediction 4: Identity-based mobile services will put privacy in the spotlight

BYOD pessimists are rightfully just in their fear of data security. While mobile devices in BYOD programs make it easier than ever to identify an employee with a digital presence, there will be backlash from the extensive data collection.

Based on the data security issues that tag onto to BYOD programs, the article notes it is unlikely for tightened laws and regulations in 2013, resulting in litigation cases on mobile data confidentiality

Mobile competitors have gained ground in the past years, introducing innovations specific for the BYOD trend, especially making great strides in improving separation of corporate and personal information.

Click here to read about the mobile leaders in BYOD.

Insufficient Data Security On Mobile Devices Cause Concern For Army

April 8th, 2013

Is anyone’s information safe if the Army falls short in data security?

Following the path of companies world wide, the Army has been advocating the use of mobile devices. This military division in particular is a government leader in adopting the mobile trend.

“Army deputy CIO Mike Kreiger characterized the Army as ‘pushing the envelope and moving fast’ in its mobile strategy as he announced an Army plan to move toward a bring-your-own-device strategy in 2013,” according to an InformationWeek article.

Unfortunately, according to the report conducted by the Department of Defense (DoD) inspector general, the Army CIO has failed to properly develop data security policies for mobile asset management (MAM).

The report warned the lax restrictions and data security policies will make the Army more susceptible to cybersecutiy threats. If remained insecure, DoD assistant inspector general Alice Carey noted “malicious activities could disrupt Army networks and compromise sensitive DoD information.”

The Report

Limited to Android, iPhone and Windows mobile devices, the report handled by the DOD inspector found that devices were, in fact, connecting to Army networks and storing sensitive information, contrary to the Army CIO’s allegations. As a result, inadequate data security applications were set in place.

The inspector general visited the U.S. Military Academy and the Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center. The report found that neither of these two organizations was authorized to use or test a substantial percentage of their mobile devices.

More than 600 mobile devices were being utilized, tapping into “sensitive legal information” and classified Army email, without the permission or awareness of the Army CIO!

Data security has become one of the major road blocks in widening mobile device usage across the federal government. A bring your own device (BYOD) program has even been at a stand still until privacy concerns can be resolved.

If the Army wishes to continue improving its mobile presence, proper data security actions must be improved and complete compliance by all parties with Army CIO and inspector general standards must be in place.

BYOD: Pushing IT Departments Away From Hardware and Toward Data Security

March 18th, 2013

BYOD programs have caused a substantial shift in leverage over employee devices once possessed by IT departments.

The days of employees treading lightly around IT department gurus in fear of being stuck with an ancient laptop on its last leg are dwindling. Since bring your own device (BYOD) programs have made their debut in companies, IT departments are no longer the sole arbiter of the once coveted desktop computer, but rather data security and mobile asset management of personal mobile devices.

However, with every new program comes challenges. In the case of BYOD programs, significantly jeopardizing sensitive company data is one of great concern for company heads. That is where IT departments can gain back their power over electronics used company-wide.

To put into perceptive the importance of IT departments control of data security and mobile asset management within their company, here are some 2012 statics from VisualLoop:

81% use a personal device for work-related functions

46% who use a personal device for work have let someone else access it

33% who use a personal device for work admit their company data/files are not encrypted

25% of employed U.S. adults have been a victim of malware or hacking on a personal device

Hardware, You’re Out.

IT department storage of hardware for employee use has gone from full service stations to merely stocking a few loaner laptops, power cords and directions to nearby mobile carriers and repair shops.

Don’t get it backwards, IT departments are by no means becoming obsolete, rather company heroes!  There is no stopping BYOD programs from entering the workplace, so it is their duty to implement data security regulations and monitor gaps in operating systems to prevent hacker attacks.

Employees in BYOD programs will soon expect IT departments to provide proper data security measures in exchange for the potential reduced cost of utilizing their own personal device.

By perceiving IT departments as a means of service, employees in BYOD programs will be more inclined to allow control over their personal devices, increasing mobile asset management and minimizing data security threats.

BlackBerry 10 Release Impact on BYOD

January 30th, 2013

Well, the wait is officially over! The release of the BlackBerry is here. The iPhone and Samsung hype might finally be subsiding as the “BB10” emerges with new features in Research in Motion’s (RIM) attempts to recapture its share of the smartphone market. Although BlackBerry has maintained a strong presence in countries such as Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa, Mexico and some of South America, the company’s market share declined from 41% in early 2011 to 27% by the fall of 2012, while both Apple and Samsung’s market share increased. The success of the release of the BlackBerry 10 is crucial to RIM’s future existence.

RIM recognizes that its primary customers are highly regulated industries such as government and finance, which have struggled with mobile security issues. In the past, Blackberry’s two main competitive advantages were dominating the enterprise market and the physical QWERTY keyboard. Now with the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, the company has a new edge: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)-friendly operating system, which contains the ability for IT departments to control company information on employee personal devices.

One of the most interesting features of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) is the Blackberry Balance, which the company hopes will win over IT corporate managers. This allows for a company to implement a BYOD policy without the issue of mixing business and personal information. BlackBerry Balance allows IT departments to have a mobile asset management plan without affecting the personal contents of the device, and without allowing potentially sensitive work information to be accidentally leaked. Balance is activated when a device is enrolled into BES, automatically creating a “work” domain on the device. Along with protecting company data on the phone and allowing policies to be applied to a handset without affecting a users’ personal information, Balance also manages the way in which apps can access data and even specific apps that can be installed on the “work” side of the handset. As far as mobile asset management goes, if the phone is lost, company data can be properly erased separately from personal information. After all, secure data management and destruction is one of the main appeals of the new operating system.

Employees who participate in BYOD programs are bringing their desired personal device, most commonly iPhones and Androids, in lieu of accepting the phones given out by the IT department. The new BlackBerry has big plans to go head to head with both Apple iTunes and Google’s Android technology. As with any competing smartphone on the market, apps make up a huge part. The BlackBerry 10 has set out on an app round up and has released at least 70,000 apps during their launch this morning. The new and improved BlackBerry App World will contain features such as an extensive catalog of of music and video. To compete directly with Apple iTunes, RIM will release the most up to date videos, music, TV shows and movies and will make it easy for people to access what they want. The new BlackBerry model has attempted to outshine Google’s Android and the Apple iPhone with faster browsers, newer features, smarter cameras and a larger app library. Other notable features of the new BlackBerry 10 include the BlackBerry hub for optimal organization of email, messages and social status updates, while the “flow” is designed for easier navigation and multi-tasking between apps.

With the release of the BB10 with BES, RIM plans to retire its standalone mobile device management product and brand, Mobile Fusion, which will functionally be absorbed into the BES and available to its users. Mobile Fusion currently allows for additional support to devices including iOS and Android.

From an environmental point of view on the release of the BlackBerry, it is hard to say if the company has changed its tune. In 2011, RIM came in last in a Greenpeace survey of eco-friendly firms. Recently, RIM has been trying to move toward eco-friendly packaging for all of its BlackBerry products with 55% smaller, 41% lighter and fully recyclable boxes. However, due to the fact the main focus of the BlackBerry and its operating system has been BYOD and data security, there has been little to no talk about the “green” qualities of the new smartphone. Who’s to say the design of this phone is able to be disassembled and optimally recycled in the future.

Future BlackBerry news is predicted to read either success or failure. However, the new BlackBerry 10 should not be overlooked by companies wanting to or have already implemented a BYOD policy for its employees.

Benefits of IT Asset Management

June 20th, 2012

Information Technology Asset Management (ITAM) represents all of the processes, systems and checks and balances used to manage and measure a business, company or organization’s IT assets. Three of the main benefits of effective IT asset management include:

1. Control of IT assets through visibility  ITAM provides the ability to understand the potential impact of IT assets upon an organization, business or company. This involves knowing about configurations that are best suited in operations, so that adjustments may be made as become necessary. IT asset visibility may be enhanced to improve infrastructure management through the following:

  • Specific manual processes and integrations
  • Creating and accessing sources for asset reporting and decision making
  • Developing solutions for asset lifecycle challenges

One other way ITAM works is by providing a way to view which assets are experiencing the highest level of service desk requests. Once identified, certain assets may either be repaired and continued, or retired and replaced, which can greatly reduce the IT budget.

2. Compliance with licensing, audit and regulatory requirements  Organizations that maintain proper compliance prevent violations from disrupting key operations. Preparing for internal and external regulatory audits is another very important factor in IT asset management.

The ITAM lifecycle process includes solutions to provide support for:

  • Analysis of hardware and software inventory
  • Hardware and software license tracking and management
  • Contract and agreement management
  • Negotiation leverage
  • Informational reports

The above aspects provide a comprehensive understanding of the IT infrastructure designed to reduce compliance risks across physical and virtual environments. ITAM provides a data resource about current business assets so that accurate and informed decisions may be made that serves users and drives change.

3. Cost Reduction  IT asset expenditures may be minimized through combining analysis with information to determine the best practices for any given organization. ITAM solutions also enable businesses to see if assets contain installed, though unused and wasted hardware and software. Doing this allows organizations to greatly economize through reducing typical hardware and software expenses.

Many firms refresh their IT hardware approximately every 12-18 months. When businesses dispose of old hardware, this may provide a funding resource from corporate sustainability programs. This, in turn, supports IT budgets.

IT Asset Management is a key element of an effective service management strategy. Organizations must become more focused on acquiring the maximum value from their hardware and software IT assets, especially in unpredictable economic climates.